Things to Do in McDonough

With a PhD in nursing from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, registered nurse Carol Dean Baker understands that wellness involves more than getting a physical every year. That’s why, in addition to her nursing practice, she helms PureBalance, a yoga studio dedicated to building a health-oriented community.

The studio’s eclectic offerings range from Vinyasa sessions in an 85-degree room to basic Hatha classes focusing on breath work and meditation. Flexibility-enhancing sessions emphasize deep, slow stretches of major muscle groups, and condensed classes pack a full course’s punch into just 45 minutes without resorting to cheap time savers such as eliminating the exhalation portion of each breath.

Whether wearing a horned Viking helmet—cheekily dubbed the official Wine-Making Hat—or working bareheaded, the team at Warm Springs Winery crafts an array of muscadine wines. The sweet red and off-dry varieties of muscadine are produced from grapes grown in Georgia. As guests sample wines from souvenir glasses, they can gaze into Warm Springs’ pond, where lotus flowers float above a family of colorful koi.